She talked to him of modesty and humility, the root of all virtues; of
chivalry and self-sacrifice; of respect to the weak, and mercy to the
fallen; of devotion to God, and awe of His commandments. She set before
him the example of ancient heroes and philosophers, of saints and martyrs;
and as much awed him by her learning as by the new world of higher and
purer morality which was opened for the first time to the wandering
Viking.
And he drank it all in. Taught by a woman who loved him, he could listen
to humiliating truths, which he would have sneered at, had they come from
the lips of a hermit or a priest. Often he rebelled; often he broke loose,
and made her angry, and himself ashamed: but the spell was on him,--a far
surer, as well as purer spell than any love-potion of which foolish
Torfrida had ever dreamed,--the only spell which can really civilize
man,--that of woman's tact and woman's purity.
But there were relapses, as was natural. The wine at Robert the Frison's
table was often too good; and then Hereward's tongue was loosed, and
Torfrida justly indignant. And one evening there came a very serious
relapse, and out of which arose a strange adventure.
For one day the Great Marquis sent for his son to Bruges, ere he set out
for another campaign in Holland; and made him a great feast, to which he
invited Torfrida and her mother.
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